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<br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />PLAN EFFECTS <br /> <br />The plan as presented will meet almost all requirements for water and related <br />land resources through 2020. As with any development or change, a variety of ef- <br />fects will result. <br />The plan uses most of the available water, particularly in the areas of greatest <br />development. These areas in the Central Lahontan and Great Salt Lake Subregions <br />are also the ones with significant terminal lakes. The maintenance of terminal lakes <br />is not recognized as a demand under the plan. This will be possibly the greatest im- <br />pact of meeting the needs of the framework plan. Pyramid, Walker and Great Salt <br />Lake will be drastically affected if water depletion continues upstream as projected. <br />They will experience severe reductions in inflow and, in the case of Pyramid and <br />Walker Lakes, increased salinity with resultant impairment of fisheries and recrea- <br />tional activities. Water quality will be critical. Increased use of water, even with <br />more extensive treatment will result in greater production of wastes. This problem <br />has also been brought to light in the Lake Tahoe basin and has been partially solved <br />by strict controls on waste disposal. Controlling wastes will probably insure the lakes <br />continued good quality. <br />More goods and services and higher personal incomes will cause greater stresses on <br />our physical surroundings - the environment. Emphasis must be placed on efforts to <br />control or prevent adverse effects of the planned development. <br />Another area which was not considered as a demand was maintaining minimum <br />streamflow, which will also adversely affect fisheries and recreation. <br />Other possible effects will be the drying of marshlands for water use in other <br />areas of need. The pumping of ground water for irrigation, municipal and industrial <br />use will lower the ground-water level, which might possibly affect springs and wet- <br />land areas. <br />Certain studies dealing with agriculture production and overall economic impacts <br />are now underway and other studies of the plan's effect on the environment are now <br />underway. This will give further weight as to the complete output from the "frame- <br />work ;study plan. It appears, however, that the plan generally supports the projected <br />economy. <br /> <br />28 <br />